NFL Picks – Week 3: Top Team In Los Angeles?

With the third weekend of NFL football upon us, the contenders are looking to separate themselves from the pretenders. The early games include an AFC South battle between the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars, with both teams coming off impressive wins in Week 2. The Denver Broncos head to Baltimore to face the Ravens. And the New Orleans Saints face the Atlanta Falcons, looking to add another chapter to their NFC South rivalry.

The late afternoon game, between the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Raiders, might be Sunday’s top matchup. Hometown foes meet for the first time since returning to LA, with both offenses firing on all cylinders. Philip Rivers continues his late-career resurgence, with enough weapons to lead the Chargers on a playoff run. The Rams, predicted contenders, have overmatched their first two opponents. Which team will further establish their legitimacy this week?

To get an expert’s perspective on these games, we brought in CBS Dallas’s Matt Yurus. You can find his picks for two of the games below. For the rest, check out the video at the top of the page.

“I like the Broncos in this matchup, as it should give us a much better idea of both of these teams’ capabilities. The Broncos are 2-0, with a pair of narrow victories, the latest being a one-point win against division rival Oakland, a game in which Case Keenum went 19 of 35 for 222 yards and a pick, earning him four interceptions on the season. But now the Broncos hit the road for the first time to face a defense that only gave up three against Buffalo before allowing four passing TDs to the Bengals, en route to a 34-to-23 lost Sunday. I suspect Baltimore’s defense stiffens again. But Case Keenum protects the ball and does enough to give the Broncos a victory.” Pick: Broncos

Los Angeles Chargers @ Los Angeles Rams 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)

“Last and certainly not least, the all-LA matchup between the Chargers and Rams. The Rams come in undefeated, with dominating wins over the Raiders and Cardinals. The Chargers will be a better test. But this is a good, good football team on both sides of the ball. Look for the Rams, who only have two sacks on the season, to pressure and sack Rivers. The Rams take this one in an emotional, close and well-played game.” Pick: Rams